Quality control checker Mariana Ixchel Cornelio samples apples from the third or fourth layer in the bin to look for bruising. Bruising, a major cause of cullage in apples, can be reduced dramatically just by changing the way the fruit is checked. That’s the theory of Kay Mitsuhashi, a horticulturist with Stemilt Ag Services in Wenatchee, Washington, who believes that the key is to employ checkers who are unrelated to the picking crew. Two years ago, Mitsuhashi launched a project to help Stemilt orchardists and orchard managers reduce bruising during harvest. They had seen up to 60 percent bruised apples […]